Spiritual Resources and Inspiration:
Prayers & Affirmations • Quotes and Virtues
“There is no such thing as too much love.”
-Gabor Maté
A study by Columbia University psychologist Lisa Miller found that children who are raised with a robust and well-developed spiritual life are happier, more optimistic, more thriving, more flexible and better equipped to deal with life’s ordinary and extra-ordinary traumas than those who are not.
Prayers to say with children:
“O Lord, let my spirit glow so brightly that darkness will disappear.” -Islamic prayer
“O God, Guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the mighty and the powerful.” - Bahá’i Prayer
“We will be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than ourselves. We will think pure and beautiful thoughts, say pure and beautiful words, and do pure and beautiful deeds. Buddhist Prayer
“Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here: ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”
- Christian Prayer
“When I walk through Thy woods, may my right foot and my left foot be harmless to the little creatures that move in its grasses…
- A Rabbi’s Blessing
“Spirit is there to guide us as well as our ancestors… if you look deeply in the palm of your hand you will see all the other generations.”
- Vietnamese blessing
“Grandfather, Great Mystery, look this way and all the Directions to the Heavens above, to the nurturing Mother Earth, purify this heart of mine, that my spirit expands forward and towards the sun I will stand beneath its light in joy, as a sacred child walks in learning and growth. All my relations.”
-Peter Catches, Lakota Medicine Man, Zintkala Oyate (Bird People).
“Love is like a baby, it needs to be treated tenderly.”
-Congolese Proverb
“Blessed are the children who have hope.”
-Lakota/Sioux
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“Year of the Child" Hymn
Jane Parker Huber, Presbyterian Church USA
Help us to show your love, O God,
To children in your care,
and reach beyond till every child
Is help in love and prayer.
For, through neglect, abuse and sin,
Some children suffer pain.
They never learn to love and seek
A rainbow through the rain.
When children need a helping hand
To lift or to inspire,
May we be present there
To give what they require.
For love, our God has made us all,
God's children everywhere,
To live in joyful harmony,
Affirmations for children:
You are stronger than you think.
You are brave.
You are lovable.
You can get through this.
You’ve got this.
You can ask for help.
You are amazing.
You are powerful.
Virtues that help children with trauma:
Compassion, honesty, love, empathy, caring, resilience, justice, mercy, prayerfulness and forgiveness.
Sometimes it helps us to forgive other people; at other times we can be more forgiving and understanding of ourselves.
Meditations and mindfulness resources for children and classrooms:
Websites: